The invention relates to an improvement of the specific process for operating the receiver of a remote-controllable central locking installation during the initialization or reinitialization of the transmitter-receiver system. The invention is thus to be applied during the course of the (re)finding or (re)establishing of the code which can be used in the future for actuating the locking installation.
In this respect, the invention is based on that process for operating a remote-controllable central locking installation of a vehicle by means of a transmitter, which can transmit coded signals--for example acoustically by means of ultrasound, optically by means of IR and/or by means of USW high-frequency waves--to a receiver fitted in or on the vehicle. An initialization is carried out before the actuation for the first time of the central locking installation, or a reinitialization is carried out before the next actuation of the same, to cancel the previous code, that is the code which can be used in the future, or in the case of a changing code the relevant code set which can be used in the future, being fixed for the first time or once again, by the receiver being driven, for example by means of a special control code, into a state in which it can be re-initialized. An indication controlled by the receiver, for example an optical indication, is directed to the reinitialization person during the re-initialization. This configuration is known from--FR-A-2 580 128. In the case of this prior art, a special luminescence diode, controlled by the receiver, is provided as an indicating element, in order to indicate to the (re)initializing person during the course of clock-synchronized operator prompting when this person can in each case transmit to the receiver (again) an individual pulse of the code formed from a lengthy series of individual pulses.
However, the invention does not necessarily serve for clock-synchronized operator prompting of the (re)initializing person, but for the purpose of supporting this person--independently of any additional clock-synchronized individual pulse entry--generally in (re)initialization. The invention is thus suitable also for a central locking installation in which this person would need no clock-synchronized operator prompting at all for (re)initialization. The invention also requires no indicating element fitted specifically for the central locking installation concerned as an additional item of equipment for supporting (re)initialization.
There are further central locking installations with indicators fitted specifically for them. For example EP-A2-395 596, describes a transmitter having fitted LED indicators, which indicate during the normal operation procedure of the central locking installation to the person using it that his motor vehicle is properly locked and the alarm system has been switched on. There it is also described, inter alia, that the alarm system concerned can switch on an additional LED indicator in the passenger compartment, as well as, in the case of alarm, switch on for example also the horn or the front headlamps and possibly switch off the ignition or gas pump.
However, the invention does not relate to this type of combination of a central locking installation with an alarm system, although the invention allows such a combination in principle. The invention also does not require an indicating element which is fitted specifically for the central locking installation concerned as an additional item of equipment to support the operation of the transmitter or of the receiver.
In the case of alarm systems, it has been usual for some time to utilize the horn and the front headlamps such as to utilize indicators which are very noticeable from great distances and are available in the motor vehicle in any case for other reasons, in order to indicate a case of alarm.
Very different processes for the (re)initialization of remote-controlled central locking installations are also known per se, these processes in particular being technically particularly complicated in some cases, particularly if a so-called changing code is to be used, which can, as known, offer particularly great protection against unauthorized actuating of the locks, or even if a changing code with dialog operation between the transmitter and the receiver is to be used. Reference is made in this respect just by way of example to - DE-A1- 32 25 754.
The invention is not restricted to a particular code, nor to a particular changing code. The invention namely allows the use of any codes.
It is also known that, in the motor vehicle sector specifically, one of the prime objectives of virtually all developers has always been to save costs or to further reduce outlay, that is also to simplify as many components as possible or, where possible, omit them entirely, without impairing operational reliability or convenience, In view of these intensive efforts of developers, as known, it is no longer an everyday object which can be readily achieved with expert knowledge to accomplish further noticeable savings without impairing operational reliability and convenience.